The present invention relates to distributed computing systems. More particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for distributing processing of electronic workflows. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a method and sensing device for applying a physical seal authorization to electronic workflows.
Much of data processing has historically been performed using paper forms and manual completion and manipulation of such forms. Paper forms are easy to use and require no training. The location of the paper form itself reflects the state of workflow progression that has been completed. Paper also provides a medium upon which unique identifiers such as signatures, comments or sketches may be added. Forms are used ubiquitously throughout most office environments and are a critical part of conventional paper-based processing. However, such paper-based processing is not without its disadvantages. In particular, the distribution of forms especially across large distances and distributed offices is expensive, slow and requires copying. Furthermore, the availability of the paper form is limited, is environmentally unfriendly and the cost for storage of completed forms processed by the workflow can be expensive.
There have been attempts to overcome these disadvantages with computing devices in their various different forms. The landscape of computing devices typically available for many users has changed from a small homogeneous set of computing devices such as desktop computers coupled to a network to a large heterogeneous set of computing devices with significantly varying functionality and computational power. For example, there are any number of computing devices such as but not limited to personal computers, personal digital assistants, smart phones, laptop computers, notebook computers, e-book readers and digital cameras that are coupled for use with networks, servers and peripheral devices. While many of these devices have an ability to communicate over a network whether it be wired or wireless, their ability to interface with service providers or other peripheral devices to implement workflows is significantly limited because each peripheral device requires compliance with different data communication protocols, has its own application interface and data has to be in a format specific to that peripheral and often different from the format of other peripherals.
Other businesses use ‘tablet PCs’ which are essentially personal computers designed to accept input primarily from a stylus. These devices present the capabilities of a PC, with menus and file folders and arbitrary applications and try to make those capabilities easy to access with a stylus. Sometimes the user interface is customized for a particular purpose, for example, for medical charts. In this case, the user does not need to learn to use a PC operating system, but must still learn the special purpose software. Such devices are typically only useful with the back-end system they were designed to be used with. There are also email systems but they generally do not provide a way to simply annotate documents, and introduce their own problems such as user level password management for secure systems.
Yet another attempt by the prior art to overcome the shortcomings of paper-based form processing has been to provide centralized workflow systems. However, such centralized workflow systems often require that each user log in. These systems also require a significant amount of customized programming. Thus, even the smallest change to a workflow cannot be performed immediately, requires a custom modification by a skilled programmer, and typically introduces significant delay before the centralized system matches the desired workflow. Furthermore, such centralized system workflows do not accommodate arbitrary comments or modification of electronic documents. Typically such systems only provide access when a user is fully connected to the system, and users often take documents out of the central system, use a word processor to edit them and then return them to the system. Such centralized workflow systems make it difficult to create ad hoc workflows or groups especially with “outsiders” i.e. people who are not part of a company or group and especially people who should not be given the same access to all documents as a group member.
One particular problem with prior art electronic workflows is that it is difficult to use a physical seal to authenticate electronic documents. In particular, this is a significant problem for Asian societies where the use of a seal or “hanko” is widespread. In western societies handwritten signatures are commonly used to approve documents or transactions, while in East Asia, seals are used in lieu of signatures in personal documents, office paperwork, contracts, or any item requiring acknowledgment or authorship. China, Japan, and Korea currently use a mixture of seal imprints and handwritten signatures. Seals can serve as identification with signatures because they are more difficult to forge (when compared to forging a signature) and only the owner has access to her own seal.
In Japan, a hanko, also called an inkan, is a seal used by individuals and corporations to stamp a name in ink onto a paper document. It is used as an equivalent to a signature or signing initials. Important documents, including bank loans, sale or purchase of real estate, etc. require a registered seal, called a Jitsuin, to be used as a signature. Unregistered seals are used at banks, post offices, or wherever a signature is required in any daily life transactions. Banks always provide stamp pads or ink paste, in addition to dry cleansing tissues to help their customers authorize documents. Home thieves often target the owner's bankbook and hanko, which may not be missed for some time after the theft. It then becomes very difficult to prove that it was not the original hanko's owner who stamped the document. For this reason, it is very important to store a registered hanko (Jitsuin) or any hanko used for any “official” purpose, such as open a bank account, in a place where others cannot get it.
In China, seals are always used for official purposes in administrative or corporate contexts. In 2004, the Chinese government stipulated that any governmental document is authorized and authenticated only if it is stamped. The Chinese law says the stamp and handwritten signature are legally of equal effect. But in practice, the official stamp is always needed. The same situation occurs in commercial affairs: 100% of the companies need official stamps. A company has many different stamps for different usages. At the very beginning, the company should register the stamps in a Chinese administration department (typically the Chinese state administration of Industry and Commerce). In either China or Japan, when collecting parcels or registered post, the name seal serves as an identifier, akin to a signature.
In the US, seal imprints are also used by national organizations to certify important administrative documents like passports, visas, or US Mail cancellation stamps, notary services, etc.
While a user can always print an electronic document on paper, add their seal by stamping the piece of paper and then scan the printed document including the added seal, this is very disruptive to electronic workflows as well as wasteful of paper and other resources. There have been attempts in the prior art to address this problem by creating electronic seals or “hankos” that must be used with specially adapted digitizing pads. However, these specially designed “electronic” hanko devices are not the same as the pre-existing physical seals which people are accustomed to seeing. It's also unclear what document is being approved. Another type of “electronic seal approval” in the prior art is maintaining a library of approval images. In this case, to authorize a document, a user keys in a login name and password for access to a library of seals, selects the image, and it is imprinted electronically on the document. In this case, the library is exposed to illegal activity, and authorization becomes a login/password, not a physical approval motion to which society is accustomed. Thus there has not been widespread adoption of these electronic seals. Furthermore, such existing electronic seals do not have any security measures to protect against illicit usage.